Door opener or closer



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D. B. AKARD. DOR OPENER 0R CLOSER.

10,586,375 Patent-ed July 13,1897] f yimese@ y Ifvlzm bwe/l/a/flW-M, MMM@www (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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10.586,375. v PatentedJuly 13,1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DOLVAN B. AKARD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

DOOR OPENER OR CLOSER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 586,375, dated July 13,1897'.

Application filed April 30, l 8 9 5.

To (LIZ whom it 77mg/ concern..-

Be it known that l, DoLvAN B. AKARD, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in DoorOpeners or Closers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for operating doorsfrom a point situated a considerable distance therefrom; and it has forits object to provide a device of this class which shall be simple inconstruction, positive and even in its action, free from irregular orjerking motion, and by the use of which the door,besides being readilyopened and closed, maybe unlatched or latched without the necessity ofan independent operation.

In accomplishing the above results I have aimed at economy inconstruction and provided for the'ready assemblage of parts and againstany liability of their derangement.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing speciiication, and the novel features thereof will bespecifically deiined by the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Ihave clearly illustrated the invention, and in the several views haveemployed like numerals of reference to indicate like parts.

Figure l is a plan view of my invention attached to a door, the latterbeing represented in a closed position. Fig. 2 is a similar viewrepresenting the door open. Fig. 3 is a section through the line x Fig.l. Fig. 4 is a section taken at right angles to Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is aperspective of a detail. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section and plan viewof the linked operating-rod. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the leverand attachments for operating the connecting-rod. Fig. 8 is aperspective of the device for operating the latch. Figs. 9 and lO arelongitudinal sections of the device shown in Fig. 8, showing differentpositions of the interior parts. tion through fr, Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a sec- Fig. 12 is a view of Serial No. 547,654.. (TNO model.)

the unlatching device, showing its position relative to the door. Fig.13 is a perspective view showing the invention as a whole.

I will now explain the construction and operation of my invention,reference being' had to the above drawings by number.

Numeral l indicates an ordinary flat door hinged in the customary mannerand adapted to swing inward. Held securely by screws to a point near thehinged face of the door 1 is the metal casting 2, which is formed inhalves screwed together and contains the semicircular roadway 3 andcut-away portion 4. Adapted to travel in this roadway 3 is the linkedrod 5, on the pivots of which are formed the projecting friction-wheels6, the latter being provided to bear on the shoulder 7 of the roadway 3.At one extremity of this linked rod 5 is pivoted the link 8, whichisconnected with the door l by the pivot 9, passing through the slottedplate l0, which is'screwed to the door, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As aguide for this link 8 I have provided the secondary slotted plate ll,which is screwed to the jamb of the casing. At the opposite extremity ofthe linked rod 5 is pivoted the operating-rod 12. It is manifest that asthe rod l2 is forced into the roadway 3 the wheels 6 travel on theshoulders 7 and the link 8 is forced outward, forcing the door into theposition shown in Fig. 2. Reversing the motion of the rod 12consequently closes the door. Now in order to release the latch of thedoor I have provided special mechanism, which I will proceed to explain.

Rigidly secured at a point near the casting 2 and in a line below theroadway 3 is the metal box 18, divided into two longitudinalcompartments 14. and 15 by the partition 16. Situated within thecompartment l5 is the sliding member 17, to one extremity of which issecured the coiled spring 18, while the other bears the transverse pin19, which slides in the longitudinal groove 20 in the rod 12', theremaining extremity of the spring I8 being secured to the innerextremity of the rod 12.

Sliding in the uppercompartment 14. is the member 2l, bearing thepivoted catch 22, which projects through the slot 23 in the partition 16and engages with a recess 24 in the upper face of the member 17. Theinner end IOO of the member 21 is connected to the arm 25 of theunlatching device, (shown in Fig. 12,) which consists of a cam 26,pivoted in the plate 27, and is adapted to engage the latchbolt 28 ofthe door 1. This cam 26 is constructed with the terminal portion of itsperiphery formed on the arc of a circle, whose center is the pivot ofthe cam. In the drawings I have shown a double or heart-shaped camformed with two curved edges, which permit it to be used on either aright or left acting door. The rod 12" is secured at one end to themember 17 and at the other to the lever 30, (situated between thestudding at the head of the stairs,) which is pivoted to the bracket 31,the latter being secured to the studding by means of the screws shown,the ears 32 being formed integral with the lever 30 for the purpose ofchanging the tension of the rod 12" without shifting the position of theouter operating-handle 33, which is secured to the lever 30fby the yoke34E.

It is manifest by reference to Fig. 7 that as the handle 33 is moved inthe direction of the arrow the rod 12, which is continued in Fig. 9,draws the member 17 along, and with it the spring 18, until the pin 19comes in contact with the inner extremity of the slot 20, as shown inFig. 10; but during this short motion the latch 22 is pulled along,drawing with it the member 21 and rod 37, the latter turning the cam 26into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 12, when the latchy 28will be forced into the door, which will be released. The pin 19 nowbeing in contact with the extremity of the slot 20, the rod l2 is drawnalong with the member 17 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 9 andturns the pivoted lever 35, which in turn pushes the rod 12 into theroadway 3, and, through the linked rod 5 and link 8, the door is forcedopen' into the position shown in Fig. 2; but after the member 17 hasmoved a certain distance sufficient to carry the catch 22 far enough tounlatch the door the catch 22 comes in. contact with the end of theopening 23 and slides over it, disengaging the catch 22 from the member17, allowing the latter to move independently.

In closing the door the lever-handle 33 is turned in the oppositedirection until the pin 19 engages with the opposite eXtremity'of theslot 20, when the door begins to close; but before this operation iscomplete the pin 36, which projects upward from the member 17 andthrough the partition 16, engages with the member 21, forcing it along,and, through the rigid rod 37, operates the cam 26, allowing thelatch-bolt 28 to spring into its normal latched position, when the doorcloses. In connecting the cam 26 with the member 2l I have employedordinary angle-levers, such as are employed in wiring bells.

The object in forming the cam 26 with a portion of its periphery on thearc of a circle is to permit any slight play or action of the camwithout affecting the latch or changing its position relative thereto.This slight play or movement of the cam 26 may be the result of a slightderangement of the parts of the device, d'ue to constant use or otherunavoidable causes.

From the above description it will be readily seen that I have provideda simple and inexpensive device by the use of which the door may beunlatched and opened or closed and latched with but one connecting-rod,and, further, that the mechanism described presents no hindrance to theopening or vclosing of the door by the ordinary direct hand method.

I am aware that there are various forms which particular parts of thisdevice may take on and still be within the spirit of my invention,.an'dI therefore do not desire to confine myself to the exact constructionand location.

of parts herein shown and described.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters 1. In a device of theclassdescribed,the combination of a stationary semicircular roadway 3,with a movable linked rod 5, formed with friction-wheel 6 adapted tobear on shoulders 7 in said roadway, connecting-link 8 pivoted to saidlinked rod and the hingededge of the door, and a cut-away portion 4 insaid roadway for the reception of said connecting-link,

substantially as set forth.

2. In a device ofthe class described the combination of astation aryroadway 3 with a movable linked rod operating in said roadway andconnected with the door, a metal box 13 bearing a sliding member 17, acoiled spring 18 connecting said linked rod with said sliding member,and an unlatching device engaging with said member and means forYoperating said sliding member substantially as set forth.

3. An unlatching device for doors consisting of a pivoted member endingin a cam, the terminal portion of the periphery of said cam being formedon the arc of a circle with the pivot of said member as a centersubstantially as set forth.

4. In a device of the class described the combination with a hingeddoor, a linked rod pivoted to said door at a point without its center ofrevolution, an operatin g device connected to said linked rod and bymeans of which said linked rod is moved in both directions, a guide forsaid linked rod, and an unlatching device connected to said operatingdevice and by means of which said door is unlatched, for the purpose setforth.

In witness whereof I hereto set myhand in presence of two witnesses.

DOLVAN B. AKARD.

lVitnesses:

GREGORY L. WALSH, HARRY J. LAsK.

IOC

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